top of page

Acerca de

Image by Ian Simmonds

All About Me...

koimage.jpeg

I am a multi-tasker with good analytical skills and good leadership qualities that I picked up, having been in command for 10 years as well as in senior shore based management for the past 20 years.

 

My experience of 22 years at sea in various types of vessels as well as 20 years shore based gives me a clear insight into all aspects of ship management. Working for a fairly large, family owned, company has also allowed me to gain experience in various tasks and roles due to the very nature of the structure and therefore I have gained considerable experience in technical, operational, commercial, personnel and accounting functions of ship management.

President & CEO (Current)

RAKEL Services Inc, Las Vegas, NV

  • Developed and implemented new strategies and policies in collaboration with executive partners to establish and achieve long-term business objectives, providing company with strong and sustainable organizational leadership.

  • Diminished regulatory risks by overseeing adherence to insurance and safety regulations across all projects.

  • Initiated operational improvements using lean methodologies to drive efficiency and reduce costs.

  • Identified opportunities to improve business process flows and overall departmental productivity.

  • Achieved under-budget and on-time project management to adhere to project goals.

Managing Director  (2013- 2020)

Reederei Nord B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Responsible for all technical, crewing, chartering and operational management for a mixed modern fleet of 15 tankers (VLCC, Aframax, LR1/LR2 & Chemical), reporting directly to the owning family, Responsible for all sale & purchase matters of the fleet,
    Responsible for all new building matters of the fleet from evaluation to delivery including financing etc., Responsible for all insurance matters of the fleet (P&I,     Hull, War & Delay etc.
    Responsible for all accounting and administration management of the fleet including a staff of 36 in the office and 1200 seafarers,
    Spokesman of the management board

  • Drove strategic improvements to enhance operational and organizational efficiencies.

  • Aligned department vision, goals and objectives with company strategy to achieve consistently high results.

  • Oversaw and improved deliveries through proactive coordination of daily operations.

  • Developed and implemented strategies to provide high-quality, creative and integrated business services.

  • Monitored office workflow and administrative processes to keep operations running smoothly. Applied performance data to evaluate and improve operations, target current business conditions and forecast needs.

  • Exercised appropriate cost control to meet budget restrictions and maximize profitability.

  • Established personnel performance metrics to encourage efforts toward common goals.

  • Led change and transformation across all business areas to deliver benefits and align company resources.

  • Delivered leadership to executive team dedicated to driving ambitious targets with well-orchestrated plans.

Director (2011- 2013)

Reederei Nord Limited, Limassol, Cyprus

  • Responsible for all technical, crewing, chartering and operational management for a mixed modern fleet of 15 tankers (VLCC, Aframax, LR1/LR2 & Chemical) + a fleet of 8 container vessels ranging from 1800 TEU to 2500 TEU, reporting directly to the owning family, Responsible for all sale & purchase matters of the fleet, Responsible for all new building matters of the fleet from evaluation to delivery including financing etc., Responsible for all insurance matters of the fleet (P&I, Hull, War & Delay etc.,), Responsible for all accounting and administration management of the fleet including a staff of 36 in the office and 1200 seafarers,

  • Established performance goals for each department and provided feedback on methods for reaching those milestones.

  • Optimized operational processes by developing company-wide analytics tool to address client- specific metrics.

  • Tasked to turn around low-growth operation by solidifying workflow processes, strengthening client relationships and improving communications supporting client advocacy.

  • Made recommendations for changes in funding process and policies based on data and judgment.

  • Chaired technical leadership group in directing process development and technology transfer activities within technical operations and CMO manufacturing facility.

  • Worked with team leaders to arrange schedules based on production requirements and available resources.

  • Directed staff and managed annual capital budget.

  • Confirmed company documentation met ISO requirements and day-to-day operations followed documentation.

General Manager (2005 - 2013)

Reederei Nord Limited, Limassol, Cyprus

  • Established and administered annual budget with controls to prevent overages, minimize burn rate and support sustainability objectives.

  • Drove year-over-year business growth while leading operations, strategic vision and long-range planning.

  • Enhanced operational efficiency and productivity by managing budgets, accounts and costs.

  • Applied performance data to evaluate and improve operations, target current business conditions and forecast needs.

  • Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development.

  • Assessed reports to evaluate performance, develop targeted improvements and implement changes.

  • Maximized efficiency by coaching and mentoring personnel on management principles, industry practices, company procedures and technology systems.

  • Managed budget implementations, employee reviews, training, schedules and contract negotiations.

Chairman of the Board (2011- 2016)

Tankers International LLC, London, UK

  • Chaired shareholder meetings, disseminating information and fielded questions.

  • Provided recommendations on board of directors on group's effectiveness, actions and future plans.

  • Presided over Pool meetings of company board of directors each 6 months.

  • Facilitated decision making by building consensus and developing solutions.

  • Shaped solutions and approaches by leveraging trends in customer marketplaces and industries.

  • Initiated operational improvements using lean methodologies to drive efficiency and reduce costs.

Member of the Board of Directors, Cyprus Chamber of Shipping (2007 - 2015)

During that period I was also the Head of the Safety and Quality Committee.

Operations Manager (1997 - 1999)

Lanka Orient Express Lines, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Oversaw the operations for a fleet of feeder vessels calling the Port of Colombo. Handled 28 port calls a month.

  • Worked in matrix management environment with oversight of division level managers, operations, sales, finance, human resources, safety and compliance.

  • Investigated and resolved departmental non-conformances.

  • Identified and resolved unauthorized, unsafe or ineffective practices.

  • Reviewed shift reports to understand current numbers and trends.

  • Directed initiatives to achieve regulatory compliance, foster good manufacturing practices and meet component quality standards.

  • Set, enforced and optimized internal policies to maintain efficiency and responsiveness to demands.

Ship's Master and Officer (1978 - 2004)

(Various)

Sailed on various vessels including Tankers, Containers, Bulkers etc from Deck Cadet to Master (10 years as Master) and was the Fleet Master for the Reederei Nord Group for 2 years.

EDUCATION

​

Maritime Law  -- London Metropolitan University - London UK

​

Maritime Studies   -- South Tyneside College - South Shields UK

​

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

​

  • Set up the N2 Aframax Tanker Pool between Reederei Nord B.V. and Nissen Kaiun

  • Was instrumental in securing the very first Direct lending investment from the Japanese Bank Investment Cooperation to Non-Japanese, Non-stock listed, family owned business.

Let’s Work Together

Get in touch so we can start working together.

Thanks for submitting!
bottom of page